Witnessing
by kepulver
Summary: G1  Shortly before the Ark leaves, Firestar and Inferno ask Red Alert for a favor


**Author's Note: **Takes place four million years ago, shortly before the departure of the Ark. Written largely to see if it was possible to write a wedding fic that didn't center around 20th century U.S. wedding customs.

**Witnessing**

"Red! Hey, Red!"

Inferno's radio call brought Red Alert to full consciousness.

"What is it?" Red Alert radioed back, even as he checked in with his automated sentry stations. "Where's the attack? Sentries are showing everything's clear, but they could be being jammed."

"There's no attack, Red." Inferno chuckled. "I just needed to tell you something, something important."

"What are you up to?" Long experience told Red Alert that his friend was happy -- moreso than usual -- with an undercurrent of anxious mischief. "If this is another "spontaneous" party, I'd almost rather it _was_ an attack. They do less damage and are easier to recover from."

"Aww, Red, you know you had fun last time!" Inferno said. "You said yourself it made you forget about work for half a breem!"

Red Alert chuckled in return. "It was alright," he said, mock-grudgingly. "A bit noisy for my tastes, but not completely horrible."

"Yeah, well this'll be quieter, I promise." Red Alert could feel Inferno's anxiousness rise. "I -- we, I mean, we want this kept private. At least for now."

"'We'?" Red Alert analyzed Inferno's speech patterns out of long-standing habit. His fellow security officer had placed a special emphasis on 'we' -- an intimate, possessive emphasis he only ever used for one person. "What are you and Firestar planning?"

"Marriage. Getting married. To each other." Inferno's words stuttered out like slugs from a badly timed chain gun. "We wanted to before the Ark leaves, you know, just in case."

Red Alert clicked his radio, signaling his agreement and understanding. 'Just in case' was all but his guiding principle.

Yes, the optimists expected the Ark to return safely. Their mission was exploration, after all. Hunting for fuel resources. Even the Decepticons were unlikely to attack, at least not until _after_ the resources were discovered. And planet-side, Elita-1's guerilla band could teach clever to turbo foxes.

But, in reality, space was vast, unknowable and unsympathetic. None of the Ark's crew were experienced space hands and no one had ever lost energon chips by betting on Decepticons to refuse any excuse to attack Autobots. Particularly Autobots with as well-deserved a reputation as Elita's team.

So, Red Alert more than understood the desire, even the burning need to do something 'just in case' to avoid the haunting agony of 'should have done' or 'might have been.'

He did have one question though: "Why tell me? It's not as though you need permission -- or at least not mine."

"We're telling you because we want you to be our witness," Inferno said. "We cleared this with Prime and Elita -- had to in order to rearrange our watches -- but you're the one we want to share it with."

"I'm -- I'm flattered."

"You're also the one we trust to keep shut about this until we get back," Inferno said. "We're doing this for us right now, you know?"

"Understood. There are those who'd see this as an ill-omen. A sign that neither of you expect the Ark mission to be successful," Red Alert said. "Superstitious idiots, the lot of them. there are much more realistic reasons to expect failure."

"See, that cheerful attitude's _exactly_ why we chose you!" Inferno said.

"Of course," Red Alert echoed Inferno's dead-pan tone. "Where shall I meet you?"

"We're on our way to your office now," Inferno said. "Figured where better? Besides, we want your full attention. Or as near to it as we can get."

"Wise decision. I'll open the door for you."

**X X X**

Inferno and Firestar stood just outside the open security office doorway, holding hands tightly enough that Red Alert could hear the creak and squeak of metal on metal. He studied them. Inferno looked eager, anxious -- again, moreso than his usual enthusiastic self. In contrast, Firestar looked outwardly calm, though like most females Red Alert found her harder to read.

"You don't _have_ to do this." Red Alert crossed his arms. "No one will fault you if you don't go through with it. It's a rather outdated custom, to be honest."

"Don't you start," Firestar said. "You sound like Elita."

"She doesn't approve?"

"It's not that," Firestar said. "When I told her we were thinking about this, she tried to convince me that there's no need to get married -- that it's a remnant of the Days Before when our ancestors married to show they could feel and now, that's not in doubt. It's more that she thinks it's silly, but I don't care. I want to do this _because_ there wasn't any need. Because it's a symbol; I can't go with you guys but this way I can know that a part of me is with him."

"We're gonna do it," Inferno said. "Just -- this is it, y'know? I want to be sure we do it _right_."

"This from the mech who once told Prowl 'Slag the strategy, let's just rush 'em!'" said Firestar. "We're just stepping through the doorway, Inferno."

"It's more than that." Inferno's voice sounded almost painfully earnest. "Once we make that step together, we're bound to each other. Ceremony after that is just detailing. I want this to be perfect."

"Not to rush you, but the Ark does leave at the end of this lunar cycle," Red Alert said, exchanging an indulgent grin with Firestar. "And I _would_ like to leave my office at some point before the end of this shift."

Inferno made an exasperated noise, looking to Firestar. "I just want this to be right, that's all."

Firestar looked at him, her smile gentle, loving, full of approval and calm assurance. "It will be. Come on."

With a gentle tug, she pulled him forward, the two stepping through the doorway together, feet striking the floor in perfect sync. As the echo of their steps faded, Red Alert saw them both visibly relax as they turned toward each other.

With great care, Inferno and Firestar unholstered their laser pistols, simple standard issue weapons of the sort handed out to nearly every soldier on the planet. Red Alert carried one, nearly identical to the ones his friends carried. Meticulously, Inferno and Firestar field stripped and inspected their weapons, checking for even the slightest imperfection. Assured that all was in order, they reassembled them and inserted fresh power packs before handing their pistol to the other, butt-first, barrels pointed safely toward the floor.

"To keep you safe," Inferno said, as they holstered their new weapons.

"So I fight always by your side," answered Firestar.

Red Alert felt rather than heard the clicks as the two opened a secure channel between themselves, then brought him into the loop.

"Radio check," Firestar said. "If you call, I will answer."

"Though it brings me to my death," answered Inferno.

"Or take until the stars grow cold," they chorused.

"Nicely symbolic," Red Alert murmured, "but hardly feasible in most cases."

"Shut up, Red." Firestar giggled, taking the sting out of her words. "You get married, you can make your own vows as precise as you want." 

"I'm simply saying that, in some cases, security takes precedence over romance."

"Quibble when we're done." Firestar reached into a hatch, pulling out a ration-flask. Inferno shot a grin at Red Alert as he copied her actions.

"I give you fuel to sustain you." Inferno and Firestar chorused, passing their flasks to the other and taking token sips before turning to Red Alert.

"What now?" Red Alert asked, momentarily caught off-guard.

"Get out your ration cup," Inferno said.

"Right, right." Red Alert retrieved a recycled oil can from his desk and held it out.

"You saw?" Inferno asked, stepping up and looking Red Alert in the optics.

"I saw." As Red Alert answered, Inferno poured a portion of Firestar's ration-flask into his cup, then stepped back to allow Firestar to move into his place.

"You witness this?" Firestar asked.

"I witness this." Red Alert waited as Firestar poured an equal portion of energon from Inferno's ration-flask into his cup.

"Share fuel and absorb the knowledge of this union." Inferno's drawl made his words sound even more stiffly formal.

Red Alert raised the cup and drank. The energon itself tasted like any standard ration -- bland, slightly off and starting to thicken. But the look on his friends' faces was worth the aftertaste and the potential engine knock.

"Hold the memory of this, as will we, so that none can deny this union," Firestar said as Red Alert finished the energon.

"Congratulations," Red Alert said, moving to set his cup back in its proper place. "May this bring you all the happiness you desire. I can't think of two people who deserve it more."

"Thanks, Red," Inferno said, pulling Firestar close.

"Thank you, Red." Firestar reached out to him, and Red Alert took her hand in return. "Thank you so much. I can rest easier now."

"Me too," Inferno said.

"Peace of mind is my profession," Red Alert said. "I don't get any, so I pass my share on to you. Now, I believe a certain level of private debauchery is customary after a ceremony like this and since I expect both of you to be on time for your duty assignments, I suggest you go and get to it!"

"'Debauchery'? Red, where do you get these ideas?" Firestar teased.

"Security footage mostly," Red Alert said. "You'd be amazed what people get up to when they don't realize they're being watched. Speaking of which, there's a supply closet four doors down I promise will be unmonitored from now until First Shift, unless you signal an emergency."

"Red, are you sure?" Inferno asked. "I mean, we appreciate it but...are you sure?"

"No, not in the slightest. Go before I change my mind."

They went. 


End file.
